NEWARK, N.J. - A Long Island doctor has admitted taking part in a long-running bribes-for-test referrals scheme involving a northern New Jersey firm.

Federal prosecutors say 41-year-old Brett Halper, of Glen Head, New York, pleaded guilty this week to accepting bribes. He now faces up to five years in prison when he's sentenced June 30.

Halper, who has a practice in Rockville Centre, New York, admitted taking part in the scheme from January 2011 through April 2013. Prosecutors say he took bribes in return for referring patient blood specimens to Parsippany-based Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services.

Halper was often paid more than $5,000 per month, and his referrals generated roughly $2.9 million in lab business for BLS.

Thirty-eight people — including 26 physicians — have now pleaded guilty in connection with the bribery scheme. Its organizers have admitted the scheme involved millions of dollars in bribes and resulted in more than $100 million in payments to the company from Medicare and various private insurance companies.

The investigation has recovered more than $10.5 million so far through forfeiture.

Several people connected with the lab have pleaded guilty, including president and part-owner David Nicoll and his brother, Scott, a senior employee.